Sextortion schemes on the rise as artificial intelligence advances


SOUTH CAROLINA — Artificial intelligence is helping criminals target teens, gain their trust, and create compromising photos.

“You now get a message saying you either send me a gift card or some sort of transaction, or we’re going to send this to all of your friends,” said Thomas McAffey, who’s with the FBI.

The FBI says sexual extortion happens when someone threatens to share another person’s private, personal materials. Sextortion schemes are growing and for some, they end in tragedy.

Rep. Brandon Guffey lost a son.

“It’s one thing to lose a child, another to know that a child chose to take their own life,” he said.

>> On Thursday at 5 p.m., Channel 9′s Erica Bryant investigates how to protect your children, and one father’s mission to make sure no one else goes through what he had to.

(WATCH BELOW: SC Gov signs sextortion bill after death of representative’s son)


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